So Mordecai told him what had happened and about the promise that Haman had promised the king: ten thousands talents for the royal treasury to bring about the destruction of the Jews.
The name that is transliterated as “Mordecai” in English means “little man,” “bitter bruising,” “bitterly reduced,” “bitterness of my oppression.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
It is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign depicting the tearing of clothes, referring to Esther 4:1. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
The name that is transliterated as “Haman” in English means “alone,” “solitary,” “well disposed,” “a rioter,” “rager.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Ge’ez, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
All that had happened to him refers specifically to the difficulties that Mordecai has had with Haman.
The exact sum: the precise amount or quantity (see 3.9). It may be helpful in some languages to restate this expression as Today’s English Version has done.
The king’s treasuries: see comments on 3.9.
For the destruction of the Jews: Haman’s promise of payment was for the purpose of bringing about the destruction of the Jews. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente say “in exchange for the annihilation of the Jews.” In some languages it will be necessary to express an agent for the destruction of the Jews. This may be an indefinite “they,” or the role of the king may be made explicit: “in order for the king to cause them [or, people] to destroy the Jews” (see also comments on Septuagint below).
Septuagint 4.7
How Haman had promised to pay: some languages may use a construction similar to the Greek in this clause, “the promise that Haman had promised.” The Greek states again the amount of money that Haman had promised to pay, ten thousand talents (see comments on 3.9).
To bring about the destruction of the Jews: the Greek says literally “in order that he might destroy the Jews” (so Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Though most translations follow the impersonal form of the Hebrew, it is preferable to keep Haman explicit as the subject of the verb as in the Greek. To avoid implying that Haman himself would kill all of the Jews, it may be necessary to say “in order that he might cause the Jews to be destroyed” or “or in order that he might cause people to kill the Jews.”
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on the Book of Esther — Deuterocanon: The Greek Text. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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